No landlords prosecuted by Wakefield Council in three years despite rising complaints from tenants

No landlords have been prosecuted in Wakefield in the last three years, despite a rising number of complaints from private tenants.
Councils were given new powers to prosecute rogue landlords in 2017.Councils were given new powers to prosecute rogue landlords in 2017.
Councils were given new powers to prosecute rogue landlords in 2017.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) showed more than 1,100 grievances from households in the private rented sector were lodged with Wakefield Council between 2018 and 2021.

More complaints were registered between April 2020 and March 2021 than in the previous two years.

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However, despite councils being given new powers in 2017 to crack down on rogue landlords, the local authority in Wakefield has not prosecuted any for neglecting their tenants.

The council said it had issued formal notices to property owners to force them to take action, but as all were complied with, there was no need to prosecute.

Jane Brown, interim service director for housing, said: “The lack of prosecutions over the last five years reflects our positive work with local landlords to ensure they comply with the Housing Act 2004.

"If a landlord does fail to comply with the legislation, we will take formal action, but none have failed to comply with a notice or breached an order, which would have led to a prosecution.

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"These tried and tested processes to remedy complaints and deliver improvements in the private rented sector have removed over 1,600 hazards in the years specified."

Local councillors have complained about deteriorating housing standards in the district for several years.

The private rented sector has expanded rapidly across Wakefield since the turn of the millennium, with young adults struggling to afford to buy.

Last year, Pontefract South councillor David Jones suggested that the lack of government regulation around houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) mirrored "19th century" housing standards and practices.

Local Democracy Reporting Service